Ever wonder why George Bailey was sweating in the middle of winter in It's a Wonderful Life? Kevin Roderick says its because they shot it in the Valley; he takes Off-Ramp to the old RKO ranch.

Hank Rosenberg remembers his one encounter with Larry Harmon, the man who made Bozo a household name.

Fast-Food Dude Jeff Girod takes Queena to a trailer park that serves up the I.E.'s best order of onion rings.

KPCC's Steven Cuevas plots against - then finds himself missing - the noisy mockingbird in his backyard.

KPCC's Brian Watt spoke to Jay Heath, Troy Long, and Nathan Mathis at the courts where the sisters learned their game.

UPDATE: The state of California may close Los Encinos State Historic Park, at Balboa and Ventura Blvd. in Encino, once "the hub of human habitation in the Southern San Fernando Valley," because it doesn't make enough money. No, it's not a moneymaker, but it's tranquil, fun, and rich in history. Off-Ramp talked with local historian Kevin Roderick about the park a few years ago.

Off-Ramp literary commentator Marc Haefele remembers his friend, sci-fi writer Tom Disch, who Marc says, "never wrote an imperfect sentence."

Off-Ramp contributor Rico Gagliano talks to the owner of the New Beverly Cinema, which once once a hub for stars.

Kevin Roderick continues his tour of the Valley. This time, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Think Tarzana.

The Off-Ramp players perform "Right of Way," a screenplay written by contributors to LA Observed. It's about lust, corruption, a morally compromised mayor, and the subway to the sea. And it's fictional.

Take the aggro out of surfing at the 6th Annual Doo-Dah Surf at Sunset Beach on PCH. Surfers celebrate the Aloha spirit by putting on costumes and hitting the waves.